THE Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust in Scotland has announced the topics and speakers for its spring conference to be held on Friday 29 March at Perth Racecourse.
The keynote address will be given by Edward Mountain, MSP for Highland and Islands and Convener of the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee of the Scottish Parliament.
Titled Game Scotland 2019, the event will attract an audience of farmers, land managers, policy makers and practitioners on the ground.
Conference topics range from an outline of GWCT research and its importance to game and wildlife management; discussions on the ongoing grouse moor management review; innovative research and advice on conservation cropping; latest legislation on humane trapping standards; wise and fresh strategies for the handling and marketing of shot game; managing reared gamebirds with reduced reliance on antibiotics; and the challenges of adaptive management licences.
Current sponsors of the event are Bidwells, Game & Country Ltd and Thorntons Law LLP.
Speakers include GWCT advisory, research and policy staff, St David’s Gamebird Services, Scottish Land & Estates, Kings Crops and the British Game Alliance.
Hugo Straker, Senior Advisor for the GWCT and event organiser said: “Ensuring that those who invest in and practice game conservation are well briefed on the legal requirements and best practice knowledge that frame their activities is vital for continuing investment in such beneficial activity.
“We are delighted to offer such a diverse programme that should raise awareness amongst a range of land management interests throughout Scotland.”
For more information, timings, costs and to book places see: www.gwct.org.uk/gamescotland2019.
Programme (subject to change)
|
Time
|
Topic
|
Speaker
|
|
1000
|
Start
|
|
|
1000 - 1010
|
Welcome
|
David Noble, GWCT Scotland Chairman
|
|
1010 - 1025
|
GWCT research in the uplands and lowlands: Importance for game, wildlife and practitioners.
|
Dr Adam Smith, Director GWCT Scotland
|
|
1025 - 1040
|
Keynote Speaker
|
Edward Mountain, MSP
|
|
1040 - 1100
|
Tea/Coffee Break
|
|
|
1100 - 1130
|
Innovative cropping for game and wildlife conservation: Whitburgh, Balgonie and Auchnerran Case Studies
|
Alan Johnson,
Kings Technical Advisor &
Dr Dave Parish, Head of Lowground Research, GWCT Scotland
|
|
1130 – 1145
|
Grouse Moor Management Review Group: A force for good?
|
Tim Baynes
Director, Scottish Land & Estates Moorland Group
|
|
1145 - 1200
|
Questions & Discussion
|
|
|
1200 - 1245
|
Lunch
|
|
|
1245 – 1300
|
Adaptive Management Licences: Strathbraan Case Study
|
Merlin Becker, GWCT Scotland Trainee Advisor
|
|
1300 - 1330
|
Tunnel traps after 2019: disaster or opportunity?
|
Dr Jonathan Reynolds, GWCT Head of Predation Control Studies
|
|
1330 – 1400
|
Anti-biotics in gamebirds; eliminate the dependency.
|
Matthew Balfour MRCVS
St David’s Gamebird Services
|
|
1400 - 1430
|
Glorious game as food
|
Tom Adams, British Game Alliance
John Queen, Headkeeper, Linhope Estate
|
|
1430 - 1445
|
Questions & Discussion
|
|
|
1445 – 1505
|
Tea/Coffee Break
|
|
|
1505 - 1535
|
Mountain Hare: Hare today, gone tomorrow: A need for counts to refute assertions that sporting estates cause local declines
|
Ross Macleod, Head of Policy
|
|
1550 - 1605
|
Questions & Discussion
|
|
|
1605 – 1620
|
GWCT Advisory Services & Summing Up
|
Hugo Straker, GWCT Scotland Senior Advisor
|
Notes to editors
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust is an independent wildlife conservation charity which carries out scientific research into Britain’s game and wildlife. We advise farmers and landowners on improving wildlife habitats. We employ 22 post-doctoral scientists and 50 other research staff with expertise in areas such as birds, insects, mammals, farming, fish and statistics. We undertake our own research as well as projects funded by contract and grant-aid from Government and private bodies. The Trust is also responsible for a number of Government Biodiversity Action Plan species and is lead partner for grey partridge and joint lead partner for brown hare and black grouse.
For information, contact:
Playfair Walker
Telephone: 0131 445 5570
Email: richard@playfairwalker.com